1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to interlocking building bricks for the construction of a building or wall structure.
It is common construction practice to erect building walls, as well as certain categories of free-standing walls, using concrete blocks of a solid rectangular configuration in which each block exhibits a plurality of cavities and external planes at all six sides thereof. Such blocks are, as is well known, laid-up in courses, typically by placing mortar, by trowel, on the top of the blocks and then positioning the blocks of the next course upon the lower course. However, as described below, some systems of interlocking blocks exist which reduce or eliminate the need for such mortar. The instant invention particularly addresses the need for building bricks useful components of an interlocking building brick system capable of resisting high lateral loads of both a uniform and cyclical nature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has recognized the need for, and value of, building block systems having interlocking elements at the horizontal interface between courses of building blocks. The rationale for the use of such interlocking between horizontal planes of building blocks has, typically, been to eliminate or minimize the need for mortar between the courses thereof. This, however, is not an object of the present invention.
The inventor is aware of United Kingdom Patent No. 550,745 (1941) to Rigby, which teaches a proportionality of interlock elements, which is completely different from that of the present invention. More particularly, Rigby, as is the case in essentially all prior art known to the inventor, is lacking in the deep key interlock features of the invention, which are set forth herein.
It is further noted that prior art does not address or suggest the need or value of a building block interlock structure between the vertical surfaces of building blocks within courses or rows, apparently because of a lack of recognition of the need for structures that could provide resistance against unusual lateral loads that might be encountered by a wall structure formed of building blocks. However, the extent to which the forces of nature can impact upon the integrity of apparently massive structures, such as building blocks/masonry wall structures, has been long known to architects and structural engineers that have been active in geographical areas prone to high velocity winds and earthquakes. High lateral loads may, as well, result from the horizontal component of truss-type loading upon a wall which is in truss-like communication with roof-beams and other transverse members of a given mechanical system.
The instant invention, accordingly, addresses the long-felt need in the art for a constructional component adapted for use in a wall system capable of resisting such high lateral loads, regardless of the origin thereof.
The present invention pertains to a constructional brick for use in the forming of a wall structure capable of resisting high gravity and lateral loads of both a uniform and cyclical character. The brick, more particularly, comprises a block having a generally solid rectangular exterior configuration defining an xyz Cartesian coordinate system, an x-axis thereof capable of defining a width axis of the wall structure, a y-axis thereof defining the directionality of the wall structure, and a z-axis thereof defining a vertical axis of the wall structure, in which one xz end surface of each building block comprises a positive y-axis deep key geometry and each opposing xz end surface thereof comprises a negative y-axis deep key geometry complementally interlockable to said positive geometry of said opposite xz surface, in which y-axis deep key dimensions of said respective positive and negative deep key geometries exist in a range of about 10 to about 50 percent of the x-axis dimension of said brick, in which an upper xy surface of said block includes a plurality of z-axis recesses, each having an xy plane lower surface thereof, and a lower xy surface of said brick including a corresponding plurality of integral z-axis male members complementally interlockable with said z-axis recesses. Use of such bricks provides a substantially rigid and load-resistant interlock between horizontally and vertically contiguous bricks, when joined together as components of a wall structure.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a building brick suitable for use as a constructional component of the wall structure adapted for resistance to high lateral loads, both uniform and cyclical.
It is another object to provide a constructional component of a wall system particularly adapted to resist lateral loads resultant from earthquakes, hurricanes, or pre-defined lateral loads within a truss system.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a constructional component providing enhanced resistance to high lateral loads in both the vertical and horizontal planes of interlock between such constructional components.
The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention.